Funnel.



No. 838,489. 8 PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906.

FUNNEL.

APPLICATION FILED P113123, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

MON"RAVILLE M. WOOD, OF SCHENEGTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FUNNEL.

ave. 838,489.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application filed February 23, 1905. Serial No. 246,890. I

,To all whom, it may concern:

This invention relates to funnels for use in filling vessels withliquid. Its object is to enable a mixture of two liquids to bethoroughly separated and the two elements caused to pass throughdifferent outlets.

The invention is especially advantageous in separating out the waterthat is frequently found in commercial gasolene and which causes a greatdeal of annoyance to the consumer, especially in the case of automobilesdriven by ex losive-engines.

The funnel which forms the subject-matter of my invention is providedwith a diaphragm or screen of fine wire-netting, through which theliquid is poured. The netting is of such fineness of mesh that when thegasolene wets the netting it is impervious to water, while, on the otherhand, the gasolene or similar lighter fluids will not be retained by it.It is well known that water and oil are not diffusible and that watercontained in gasolene or other oil settles to the bottom of thecontaining vessel. Hence in pouring oil the contents of the vesselgasolene will flow off first and thoroughly wet the netting as it passesthrough, so that the netting becomes practically an oiled surface whichthough perforated excludes water, but permits the gasolene to pass. Atone side of the funnel is an escapeopening through which the water canflow off, so as to avoid clogging the funnel. I also prefer to provide afloat-indicator, which will rise when the vessel or tank is nearly fulland give warning of that fact.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a funnelembodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a diametrical crosssection of thesame.

The body 1 of the funnel is made of any suitable material, such as sheetmetal, and may be corrugated, if desired, to give it greater stiflness.The body is bowl-shaped and has the usual downwardly-projecting spout 2at its lowest point. Near the top of the funnel is arranged a screen ordiaphragm 3, preferably of wire-netting of fine mesh. Thls diaphragmextends entirely across the funnel and is held in place by any suitablemeans, such as a ring 4, around which the netting is secured and whichfits snugly into the funnel. An additional ring or hoop 5 may be placedinside the ring 4, if desired, to aid in securing it, and lugs 6 mayproject in from the rim of the funnel over the ring 4 as an additionalfastening. An escape-opening is provided at one side of the funnel,preferably having a spout 7 passing through the rings and the side ofthe funnel just above the netting and proceedin in a downward direction,as shown. Just below the escapeopening is fixed a shelf 8, preferably asegment-shaped piece of sheet metal lying above the netting, as shown.At some convenient point a small vent 9 is formed through the netting.

When a float-indicator is provided, there is an eyelet 10 inserted atthe center of the netting, through which passes an upright rod 11, whoselower end is attached to a float 12 and whose upper end carries a flange13 to cover the eye et and a weight 14 to keep the rod normally inplace.

The operation of my invention is as follows The spout 2 is inserted inthe filling-orifice of a tank or other vessel with the float dependingtherein, and the funnel is preferably slightly inclined, so that thespout 7 is at the lowest point. The gasolene or other liquid is thenpoured upon the netting, which strains out all the water and foreignliquid or solid ingredients, permitting only the pure gasolene to passthrough into the lower part of the funnel and thence to the tank. Thevent 9 allows the air under the netting to escape. The water retained bythe netting flows 03 through the 8 out 7 and is thus prevented fromaccumu ating in the funnel, so that all danger of clogging the device isobviated. lVhen the tank is nearly full, the float begins to rise, andthus warns the operator that the supply of gasolene must be stopped.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. A funnel having a fine-mesh diaphragm, and means for the escape ofliquid retained by said diaphragm.

2. A funnel having adiaphragm of fine float-indicator passing throughsaid dia- [o phragm.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day ofFebruary, 1905.

MONTRAVILLE M. WOOD.

WVitnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD.

